Shades of Eternity
Legend
Laothan: The Kingdom Under Shadow
Then and Now
Laothan was once a lush, monsoon-fed realm of terraced rice fields, jungle hills, and bamboo villages. Its people, the Seng, were known for their artistry, silverwork, festivals, and devotion to the Path of Enlightenment—especially the Ku Nien school of monks who taught balance and discipline. Power was divided among Seng princes of the Thok dynasty, each tied to local traditions and monasteries.
Now, the kingdom is a stage for the Psycho Army, ruled by Madam Bao (M. Bao) and her criminal empire. The capital of Cheinang blazes with neon light and martial pageantry; temples ring with distorted chants; villagers toil to feed Bao’s armies while her clones stalk the land. Yet beneath the surface, the Seng resist. Priests, farmers, and wandering kenku scholars form a patchwork underground rebellion, seeking outside aid.
The Present Kingdom
Bao’s Rule
Government: Bao dismantled the Thok dynasty, replacing nobles with her psycho generals and clone-doubles. Local governors are puppets—sometimes literally mind-controlled.
Military: Orc “Zhu Bajie” battalions form the rank-and-file, Minotaur enclaves act as overseers and enforcers, and kenku raids are deployed as precision strikes or terror campaigns.
Spectacle: Massive concerts and tournaments keep the populace cowed and distracted, serving as both propaganda and psychic indoctrination.
The People’s Resistance
Hidden Temples: Ku Nien monks shelter fugitives, disguising their chants as harmless prayers while secretly spreading counter-charms to Bao’s music.
Festival Subversion: Seng festivals survive underground, their fireworks and lanterns used as signals for rebels.
Insurgent Networks: Farmers and artisans smuggle weapons in rice sacks, silver jewelry carries coded symbols, and even wandering entertainers pass secret messages.
The rebellion lacks unity. Some want the Thok dynasty restored, others envision a free republic, while some radicals whisper of expelling all outsiders. What they agree on: they cannot face Bao alone.
Key Locations
Cheinang, Capital of Masks
A clash of styles: bamboo houses and stilted temples stand in the shadow of neon auditoriums and clone barracks.
The Grand Auditorium of Echoes dominates the skyline. Beneath it lies the Clone Vaults, where assassins are grown.
Plot Hook: PCs are sent to find a missing monk leader rumored to be imprisoned as part of Bao’s next “performance.”
The Terraced Fields of Xiang Vale
Rice paddies climb the hills in breathtaking steps, but Psycho Army orcs now oversee them. Rebellious farmers poison irrigation canals or vanish into jungle shrines.
Plot Hook: The PCs must smuggle out a coded harvest tally that reveals where Bao is funneling resources.
The Ox-Head Enclave of Daluang
A Minotaur-run fortress town on Laothan’s border. Many minotaur families support Bao out of loyalty—but others secretly despise her.
Plot Hook: PCs must broker an alliance with a minotaur clan chief torn between protecting his people and overthrowing Bao’s grip.
The Hidden Shrine of Ku Nien
A ruined monastery repurposed as a rebel stronghold. By day, it looks like an abandoned ruin; by night, the hidden courtyards fill with insurgents.
Plot Hook: PCs must defend the shrine during a kenku raid—uncovering that some kenku secretly fight for the rebellion too.
The Shadow Market of Chei Lao
Once a simple village market, now a criminal hub controlled by Bao’s lieutenants. Every transaction is watched, but the rebellion has infiltrated its stalls.
Plot Hook: PCs can buy rare information or weapons here—but must survive the attention of Bao’s agents.
Adventure Hooks in Occupied Laothan
The Double King
Rebels claim the true heir of the Thok dynasty lives, but Bao has replaced him with a clone. PCs must determine which is real.
The Song War
Bao’s psychic concerts enthrall entire towns. The Ku Nien monks have devised counter-hymns—but need daring adventurers to carry them into enemy territory.
The Orc Uprising
Some Zhu Bajie orc battalions plan to defect. Bao has sent clones to purge them. PCs must protect or recruit them before they’re crushed.
Kenku Paradox
A flock of kenku offers mystical training in exchange for sabotaging Bao’s propaganda networks. But some rebels don’t trust kenku duplicity.
Festival of Lanterns
The Seng light lanterns each year for the spirits of their ancestors. This year, the rebellion will use the festival to launch an uprising—if Bao doesn’t extinguish it first.
Tone & Play Style
Above Ground: Bright, loud, and terrifying—concerts, parades, neon temples, martial tournaments.
Below Ground: Whisper networks, coded jewelry, midnight chants, hidden shrines.
For Players: PCs are outsiders Bao might recruit, exploit, or destroy—but to the Seng they are symbols of hope. Every mission balances danger with the chance to ignite rebellion.
***********************
found what little info there is and rewrote it to give it a bit of oomph.
Then and Now
Laothan was once a lush, monsoon-fed realm of terraced rice fields, jungle hills, and bamboo villages. Its people, the Seng, were known for their artistry, silverwork, festivals, and devotion to the Path of Enlightenment—especially the Ku Nien school of monks who taught balance and discipline. Power was divided among Seng princes of the Thok dynasty, each tied to local traditions and monasteries.
Now, the kingdom is a stage for the Psycho Army, ruled by Madam Bao (M. Bao) and her criminal empire. The capital of Cheinang blazes with neon light and martial pageantry; temples ring with distorted chants; villagers toil to feed Bao’s armies while her clones stalk the land. Yet beneath the surface, the Seng resist. Priests, farmers, and wandering kenku scholars form a patchwork underground rebellion, seeking outside aid.
The Present Kingdom
Bao’s Rule
Government: Bao dismantled the Thok dynasty, replacing nobles with her psycho generals and clone-doubles. Local governors are puppets—sometimes literally mind-controlled.
Military: Orc “Zhu Bajie” battalions form the rank-and-file, Minotaur enclaves act as overseers and enforcers, and kenku raids are deployed as precision strikes or terror campaigns.
Spectacle: Massive concerts and tournaments keep the populace cowed and distracted, serving as both propaganda and psychic indoctrination.
The People’s Resistance
Hidden Temples: Ku Nien monks shelter fugitives, disguising their chants as harmless prayers while secretly spreading counter-charms to Bao’s music.
Festival Subversion: Seng festivals survive underground, their fireworks and lanterns used as signals for rebels.
Insurgent Networks: Farmers and artisans smuggle weapons in rice sacks, silver jewelry carries coded symbols, and even wandering entertainers pass secret messages.
The rebellion lacks unity. Some want the Thok dynasty restored, others envision a free republic, while some radicals whisper of expelling all outsiders. What they agree on: they cannot face Bao alone.
Key Locations
Cheinang, Capital of Masks
A clash of styles: bamboo houses and stilted temples stand in the shadow of neon auditoriums and clone barracks.
The Grand Auditorium of Echoes dominates the skyline. Beneath it lies the Clone Vaults, where assassins are grown.
Plot Hook: PCs are sent to find a missing monk leader rumored to be imprisoned as part of Bao’s next “performance.”
The Terraced Fields of Xiang Vale
Rice paddies climb the hills in breathtaking steps, but Psycho Army orcs now oversee them. Rebellious farmers poison irrigation canals or vanish into jungle shrines.
Plot Hook: The PCs must smuggle out a coded harvest tally that reveals where Bao is funneling resources.
The Ox-Head Enclave of Daluang
A Minotaur-run fortress town on Laothan’s border. Many minotaur families support Bao out of loyalty—but others secretly despise her.
Plot Hook: PCs must broker an alliance with a minotaur clan chief torn between protecting his people and overthrowing Bao’s grip.
The Hidden Shrine of Ku Nien
A ruined monastery repurposed as a rebel stronghold. By day, it looks like an abandoned ruin; by night, the hidden courtyards fill with insurgents.
Plot Hook: PCs must defend the shrine during a kenku raid—uncovering that some kenku secretly fight for the rebellion too.
The Shadow Market of Chei Lao
Once a simple village market, now a criminal hub controlled by Bao’s lieutenants. Every transaction is watched, but the rebellion has infiltrated its stalls.
Plot Hook: PCs can buy rare information or weapons here—but must survive the attention of Bao’s agents.
Adventure Hooks in Occupied Laothan
The Double King
Rebels claim the true heir of the Thok dynasty lives, but Bao has replaced him with a clone. PCs must determine which is real.
The Song War
Bao’s psychic concerts enthrall entire towns. The Ku Nien monks have devised counter-hymns—but need daring adventurers to carry them into enemy territory.
The Orc Uprising
Some Zhu Bajie orc battalions plan to defect. Bao has sent clones to purge them. PCs must protect or recruit them before they’re crushed.
Kenku Paradox
A flock of kenku offers mystical training in exchange for sabotaging Bao’s propaganda networks. But some rebels don’t trust kenku duplicity.
Festival of Lanterns
The Seng light lanterns each year for the spirits of their ancestors. This year, the rebellion will use the festival to launch an uprising—if Bao doesn’t extinguish it first.
Tone & Play Style
Above Ground: Bright, loud, and terrifying—concerts, parades, neon temples, martial tournaments.
Below Ground: Whisper networks, coded jewelry, midnight chants, hidden shrines.
For Players: PCs are outsiders Bao might recruit, exploit, or destroy—but to the Seng they are symbols of hope. Every mission balances danger with the chance to ignite rebellion.
***********************
found what little info there is and rewrote it to give it a bit of oomph.
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